Sustainable Tips for an Eco-Friendly Move

January 28, 2014

The phrases “Going Green” and “Being Green” have become increasingly popular during the past decade. Many of us have not only have become familiar with these terms, but also have become educated about the importance of living a green lifestyle. As mentioned in Moving Insider’s How to Find Sustainable Storage, being eco-friendly is “in” and everything “green” is ever growing. If you’re planning a move and your goal is to stay green…check out these five sustainable “quick tips” for an eco-friendly outcome on moving day.

1. Take a Mental Inventory

Think about possessions you no longer want or use in the months leading up to your move. Chances are you will come up with quite a few that won’t need to make the move. We’ve heard before that one person’s trash is another person’s treasure…so what better way to lighten your load and make your move more eco-friendly than by having a garage sale. A garage sale will save you from spending more money on gas moving unwanted items… and will help you make some green of your own.

2. Donate to a Local Charity

If you’re moving unexpectedly with little time to plan, donate your unwanted items to a local charity to avoid the extra cost of moving them yourself. Many charities have the means to accept household items, and will gladly make a pickup directly from your residence. Another option to rid your self of unwanted items is via websites like eBay and Craigslist.

3. Collect Reusable Cardboard Boxes

Spend time collecting reusable cardboard boxes for your move. This helps to keep gently used boxes from being thrown away. U-Haul offers Take a Box, Leave a Box program, where customers can drop off their reusable moving boxes for other customers to take and use for FREE. Check it out at a U-Haul center near you. You can also check out local restaurants and retail stores and see if you can take their used boxes off their hands.

4. Recycled and Biodegradable Packing Material

Depending on the fragility of the items you are packing, use old newspapers, magazine pages or even sheets, towels and throw pillows as packing material. For more reliable protection, you can also pick up Biodegradable Packing Peanuts from U-Haul that will dissolve in water and keep Styrofoam out of landfills.

5. Plan a Direct Route

Whether moving to your new destination via truck or trailer, as a do-it-yourselfer make sure to map out the most direct route to your destination. Research shows that drivers who plan their trips carefully not only pay less for mileage and rental truck hours, but their vehicles also emit less CO2 and other greenhouse gasses into the environment.

What steps have you taken to make an Eco-friendly move? Whether you’ve experienced a big or small move, share your green moving tips with us in the comment section below!